The present invention is related to prosthetic devices and more particularly to such devices utilized to replace an amputated or mutilated hand.
A person who has suffered the loss of a major portion of his hand while retaining a movable part thereof is severely restricted to the forms of prosthetic devices he may utilize to regain gripping control through the affected arm. Most prior hand prostheses are produced and designed for amputees whose complete hand is missing. It is therefore desirable to obtain some form of prosthesis that may capitalize on the movements capable of an arm member (a portion of the hand) existing outward of a functional joint to produce a gripping force through the prosthetic device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,006 to R. L. Beardmore granted Sept. 1, 1970 discloses a wrist extensor operated hand splint. The purpose for this splint is to enable certain persons who have suffered back injuries and have lost the use of one or both hands to produce a gripping force through a splint device attached between the movable portions of the forearm and hand. This device is comprised of two separate specially designed plates. A first plate substantially fits the cupped hand and includes an inwardly extending (toward the elbow) base. This base pivotably mounts to the second member which includes opposed arm clasping surfaces and an outwardly projecting gripping surface. Also included is a pedestal to which the individual members are mounted to facilitate mounting and removal of the members to a user's arm. Gripping force is produced through the two independent members by movement of the user's wrist. The device mounts to specific portions of the user's hand and would not operate efficiently in conjunction with a partially amputated or mutilated hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,163 to P. Saverino issued Mar. 25, 1969 discloses a prosthetic holder for use with a mutilated or deformed hand. Saverino basically shows a holding device that is strapped to a user's wrist and which is stationary with respect to a movable portion of the hand such as a thumb. The mounting plate is strapped to the wrist on the same side as the the thumb. A portion of the mounting member extends across the hand area to mount the plate against which the thumb may act. Different devices may be attached to the plate to facilitate actions other than gripping between the plate and thumb.
Other patents of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,735,426; 1,498,029; 1,322,027; and 1,263,675.
Of the above devices, none disclose the pivoted arrangement of two hinged plates pivotably mounted to a relatively stationary base, in which the base may be mounted stationary relative to the pivoted plate members and the plate members attach to a movable portion of a user's arm to the outward side of a functional joint such that the movable portion may be operated against the pivoted plates to move the plates between an open and closed position and further to pivot the plates about the connection between the plates and the pivoted base support.